


october, 2018 (i swear, i lived)

by riverblujay



Series: analogical human au [4]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, French Remy Sanders, Genderfluid Remy Sanders, M/M, National Coming Out Day, Teacher Logan Sanders, married analogical, those are more background points but theyre still there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-08-09 21:11:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16457285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/riverblujay/pseuds/riverblujay
Summary: the month of october through a few different eyes(featuring: halloween being logan's favorite holiday, logan talking about national coming out day to his teenagers, roman leading gsa meetings, and analogical being the dorks that do couple's costumes every year.)





	october, 2018 (i swear, i lived)

**Author's Note:**

> if you wanna hear me babble i wrote a pretty substantial an on [tumblr](https://pastelvirgil.tumblr.com/post/179572753526/october-2018-i-swear-i-lived)
> 
> part of the title from one republic "i lived"

i.

It was October first, and Logan was ecstatic. 

He had spent Friday afternoon decorating his classroom with many Halloween themed decorations- it was definitely exciting that the first was a Monday, this year. The students would probably be surprised; after all, Logan doubted many teachers after elementary school, or middle school at the latest, had been fond of decorating classrooms.

But Halloween was Logan’s favorite, so supposed “high school maturity” be damned, he would decorate his classroom to celebrate. 

Another fun fact: since it was the first Monday of the month, that meant there would be a GSA meeting (he, Roman, and Patton had led a vote during the first meeting and it had been agreed upon that the first and third Mondays of the month would be a practical schedule). So even  _ more _ people would be exposed to the decorations than just Logan’s regular classes. 

He still had a few minutes before the first class of the day, and set out the (rather large) bowl of candy that happened to make random appearances throughout the month, filled with many types- chocolates, lollipops, suckers, and other assortments. He also left out a separate bowl with other types of snack packs or candies that were sugar free, with the original packaging and ingredients available to be read.

(Logan was nothing if not thorough.)

The students began filing into the room, few doing a double take at the classroom’s appearance and the candy/treat station with a label stating “take one.” (As well as the parenthesis under that phrase reading “or two.”) Nonetheless, the ones who wished grabbed a piece of candy and took their seats. 

Class began soon enough, and carried on like normal; Logan lectured a little, the students took notes, and there were practice problems to be done at the end of class to help cement the material. A reminder that there was an upcoming quiz, and a worksheet of a decent length (not overly long, but not too short to be pointless) assigned on the topic covered in class. Basically, how Logan’s classes were normally conducted. A few students questioned the décor, but nothing of note happened until Logan’s lunch break.

The teacher opened his lunch to find a post it note from Virgil (his husband often put together a lunch for Logan the night before, because that was how amazing he was) with a sloppy skeleton doodle reading “happy spoopy season, nerd.” He couldn’t help but smile and suppress a snort of laughter at his husband’s antics. 

His afternoon classes carried on in the same manner as the morning ones, although his Chem II class were mostly students that had previously been exposed to Logan’s enthusiasm for the month, and were thus less surprised (not to mention they were more- well,  _ liberal _ \- in their appreciation for the bowl of candy he had set up).   

Finally, classes were over for the day, which meant Roman and Patton entering the room and preparing for the GSA meeting. The two seniors smiled at the decorations, this being the third year having Logan (though this was the first where he wasn’t their actual teacher). Members gradually entered, and they began at precisely four like always.

Logan mostly sat out for these, more of an observer than an active participant. He wanted to encourage student leadership, after all, and the students were doing a good job. The club had grown in the past month or so, leaving them with around twenty-five regular attendees. Roman was pretty good at finding excellent topics for the students to cover, not to mention activities that all members would enjoy.    


(Case in point: October was LGBT+ history month, and the senior had doubtlessly spent countless hours researching and preparing the extremely in depth slideshow he was currently presenting. Additionally, Logan had overheard Roman mention to Patton something about trying to organize a club wide project for the Transgender Day of Remembrance in November.)

In short, he was the perfect person to lead this club in its infancy, and would no doubt be an excellent model for his successors. 

It wasn’t long before the meeting concluded and Logan and the students went their separate ways- Logan to the staff lot, the students to their own cars in the senior or junior parking lot, or some to waiting parents/siblings in front of the school. The teacher wondered how Virgil’s day had gone. However, didn’t dwell on the thought as he drove but instead focused on the road in front of him.

He pulled into the neighborhood, cautious of any young children that could potentially be out playing in the streets. (They would have to purchase candy for trick or treaters sometime this month, Logan reminded himself.) Upon reaching the driveway, he couldn’t help but smile at the sight of Virgil in his gardening clothes, weeding their colorful flower beds that his husband took pride in. 

“Having fun?” Logan asked Virgil as he exited the car, bag slung over his shoulder.

“Just doing some maintenance,” he replied. Standing up, he brushed dirt off of himself and tugged off his gloves. “How were your teenagers?”

“You know, despite that being a halfway accurate description, you do not always need to refer to my students as though they are actually my children.”

“Uh huh,” Virgil sarcastically drawled. “So?”

Logan huffed a sigh. “Fine. Sophomores surprised at the decorations and candy, per usual. Juniors and Chem II students not fazed. Really, nothing out of the ordinary happened. I did enjoy your note, by the way,” Logan smiled. “Left it on my desk where I could see it and everything.”

Virgil hummed and raised an eyebrow. “Well, I’m going to finish here real quick and then wash up.”

“Good,” the teacher said. “I’m most certainly not kissing you when you’re covered in dirt.” 

His husband simply rolled his eyes but nonetheless only blew a kiss to him before pulling his gloves back on and returning to his plants. Logan smiled and blew a kiss of his own before entering their home through the front door, toeing off his shoes in the entryway.    
  


ii.

As Logan awoke, he felt a strange mix of emotions between nervous and excited build within him.

He was always excited in October, of course- Halloween  _ was _ his favorite holiday- but the eleventh in particular held a special place in his heart. For good reason; not only was it “National Coming Out Day,” but it was this exact day many years ago, back in high school, that Logan had first admitted to his own parents that he was gay.

The teacher had been fortunate, in that respect, far more fortunate than many in the community. Far more fortunate than Virgil, too. His parents had welcomed his sexuality with open arms, and Logan made sure he remembered to never take that for granted. 

His morning routine passed- for the most part- as normal, excluding one minor detail, and before Logan knew it he had his second cup of coffee in his travel mug and more in the pot ready for his husband, whom he was currently waking up. “Hey, babe,” Logan whispered, gifting Virgil with a soft peck on the cheek as he leaned onto their bed.

“Mm.”

The teacher smiled. “Good morning,” Logan began their usual rapport. Virgil, despite his state of being half asleep, replied in kind. 

“No morning is good.”

The two chuckled softly at the inside joke, and Virgil finally cracked his espresso brown eyes open to stare fondly at Logan. “You made coffee?” the author asked.

“Of course. Though we are going to have to pick up more almond milk. We’re almost out.”

“I’ll add it to the list,” Virgil said. “Love you. Have a good day.”

Logan smiled back at his husband. “Love you too.” They shared a quick kiss before Logan left for his car. The drive was the same as always- short and efficient due to the lack of traffic on the roads at this time of day. Once he arrived, Logan smoothly pulled into his parking space. He turned off the vehicle and gathered his things before exiting, making sure to lock the doors with the fob (double checking that it was locked by pulling on the handle). 

The teacher hefted his briefcase over his shoulder, fiddling with the straps a little as he walked to his classroom. Logan used his key card to enter the main doors of the science wing that connected directly outside, and quietly traveled to the end of the hall where his own classroom resided. Using his key, he unlocked the door and flicked on the light switch of the empty room.

Checking his watch, Logan noted that he still had roughly forty-five minutes before students would be allowed to enter classrooms. He made himself busy, setting aside materials that would be used if there was time and other materials that Logan always made sure to have prepared for this day.

He didn’t necessarily do it for his upper level class, but each year, with his sophomores, Logan acknowledged the day and its significance. He was known for being supportive of LGBT+ students at the school- had been known for that for years- but until last spring and this fall Logan had never mentioned Virgil and his personal life in his classes. Which he had decided to do this year. 

(Logan  _ totally _ wasn’t nervous  _ at all. _ )

(He was extremely nervous.)

The teacher realigned the pamphlets again- not that the stacks needed it- and forced himself to go over lesson plans, even if he didn’t get to cover them today. He didn’t zone out, per se, but all too soon the bell signaling the hallways would be open rang, bringing Logan out of his introspection.

Just like normal, Elliott was the first to enter the classroom (well, they weren’t  _ always _ the first, but they were usually early; the first or close enough). “ _ Wow. _ ” They said, their tone more than a little shocked. “That is… a _ tie _ .”

Logan gave them a grin that was somewhere between a true smile and a mischievous smirk. “Yes,” he stated calmly. “I thought it appropriate, given the date.” Their stare continued for another minute at the accessory, and for good reason. In a moment of boldness- or perhaps pettiness, depending on who you asked- Logan had foregone his usual blue tie for a rainbow striped one.

What was the term that people were using now? 

_ Extra, _ his brain reminded him.  _ Which you very much are.  _

Logan turned his attention back to his laptop and other random things, the anticipation giving him a tenseness he hadn’t felt in quite some time. It was strange- sure, Logan wasn’t exactly the most open with his sexuality at his job, but for the most part he was out to everyone in his life. This nervousness, the tightness in his chest; Logan hadn’t truly lived with that feeling since high school, before he finally came out to his own parents. 

His tie drew some looks as the rest of his first period filed into the room, only the few students from the class that were in the GSA unsurprised at the garment. Most shrugged it off and headed to their seats after a moment, some students pausing longer than others. Some, who knew the significance of the date, only took a few seconds to put the pieces together, usually smiling afterwards. 

Time both slowed down and sped up until the shrill sound of the late bell silenced the room’s residual chatter completely. Logan stood and walked to the center of the room, turning his back for a moment to write “National Coming Out Day” on the white board with a black dry erase marker. He faced his students.

“So,” Logan began somewhat awkwardly. “You may or may not know that today- October 11th- is “National Coming Out Day,” which means class will be a little different today. And, yes,” he said, “in case you could not tell by my apparel, I am in fact gay myself. And as last year’s AP Chemistry class found out, I do, in fact, have a husband.” Cue a few somewhat stifled gasps.  Logan resisted the urge to roll his eyes and instead took a breath before continuing his speech.

“I normally don’t talk about my personal life- for good reason- but I want all of my students to know that no matter what their situation, my classroom is a safe space. And also that outing someone is  _ never _ okay, especially if you don’t know their reasons for not being out,” He said gravely, and the words hung over the class like a heavy fog.

“Mr. Sanders?” Elliott asked timidly. “Were… were  _ you _ outed?”

Logan sighed as he leaned back against the whiteboard. “No- I was fortunate enough to be able to come out on my own terms, in my senior year of high school. My parents were completely accepting, which not everyone gets. 

“But,” the teacher continued, “my husband was outed to his parents, and he was not so lucky. He had to move in with his grandmother in his junior year.” Logan could see the pain on a few students’ faces, and he wondered how many of them were possibly in a similar situation, or potentially even worse off and had nowhere to go if something happened. 

Logan cleared his throat. “In any case… I also like to spread a reminder each year to my classes that while today is considered a celebratory day, if you are not ready you do not have to force yourself to come out. If you do- great. If not- you know your situation best, and you should be able to decide what is best for you.”

He blushed a little sheepishly. “I suppose if you have any questions, now would be an appropriate time to ask them. If not, I have some material we can begin to cover for the rest of the period.” Obviously, his students preferred the first option, though many did have astute questions about coming out and Logan’s personal experience as well.

Classes continued in the same vein for the rest of the day, Logan shedding light on the date for those who didn’t already know its significance, and shedding light on his own coming out to all of his classes. His juniors (and the few seniors that were taking Chem II) in particular were interested in the personal aspect of the presentation, considering that they had been privy to the informational part but not the section on Logan’s own life and history with coming out. The teacher was excited and ready to go home, though, a little impatient as he waited for five o’clock to arrive so he could return to his husband.

He and Virgil had a tradition of their own, each time this day passed by. They would order takeout, watch a movie or two, and curl up together under a blanket crocheted and gifted to the pair as a wedding gift by Virgil’s grandmother. The purples and blues of the blanket were as comforting as its warmth, which was welcome as the October air had begun to grow cooler and cooler. 

This year was no different than any other, and as the ending credits rolled, Virgil broke the silence that had reigned over the two all evening. “Can you believe that it’s been almost almost twelve years since we got married?” he said quietly. 

“Hm,” Logan replied. “That’s wild.”

“How did class go today?”

“About the same as it normally does on this day,” Logan admitted. “I did allow a few more questions about myself in particular, but it went okay.”

“Good,” his husband sighed. “That’s good.”

Logan rested his head on Virgil. “And your day?”

“...Decent. My-” Virgil’s voice choked up a little. “My mom called.”

Logan squeezed his husband’s hand just the slightest bit harder. “The normal stuff, I imagine?”

“Yeah,” Virgil sighed grimly. “I don’t know why I always pick up, because I  _ know _ what’ll happen every time I do, but-”

“It’s natural,” Logan reminded him softly. “To hope. To believe she’s changed.”

Another heavy sigh. “I know, but I want to stop getting my hopes up. It only hurts later.”

The teacher lifted his head and saw Virgil giving him a grim smile. Logan softly smiled back and quickly gave his husband a peck on the cheek. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s dance.” Virgil snorted and raised an eyebrow but was already getting out his phone and pulling up their playlist, the one filled with sappy songs that the two loved to dance- well, sway back and forth to more than dance, really- to. 

And maybe there were things they could both be working on- grading papers, or writing, or editing, or anything besides what they were doing now, really- but maybe they didn’t really care. Right now, it was just them, Logan and Virgil against the world, as they spun and laughed until their stomachs turned sore and their heads spun.    
  


iii.

Roman was worried about the new kid.

He glanced at them- Remy Desjardins, they had said when they first introduced themself- as they took another sip from their Starbucks cup. Roman shared his senior English class with them (Roman wasn’t sure of their pronouns, as they hadn’t been properly introduced to him, and he of all people knew not to assume, so he just used “them” when referring to Remy in his head).

He knew moving was hard; Roman had experience with it, after all. Moving schools at the beginning of sophomore year had been hard at first, but he was lucky. Mr. Sanders was just the kind of teacher he had needed right after he came out, and even though it was coincidence that his mom had gotten a new job here in Florida it was an amazing opportunity to start over where no one knew him as anything other than  _ Roman. _

He couldn’t imagine moving after senior year had already started, not knowing anyone that he would have to graduate with only months from now.  _ Maybe I should invite them to today’s meeting, _ Roman thought. Yeah, that would work. 

He spent the rest of the period slightly distracted over the best way to phrase the invitation, but in the end decided to just wing it.  _ Here goes nothing, _ Roman thought to himself as he bit the inside of his cheek. When the bell that signaled the end of the period rang, Roman approached the new student.

“Um, hey- Remy, right?” he said hesitantly. 

They narrowed their eyes at him. “Yeah,” Remy replied in their slightly accented lilt, hints of French barely there but still audible. “What of it?”

“Well, I was just thinking, if- uh, well- I’m the president of the GSA- Gay Straight Alliance, although sometimes people use Gender and Sexuality Alliance- anyways, I know you’re new, so if you want to come to the meeting this afternoon we’d love to have you,” Roman said nervously.

Remy’s face turned thoughtful. “Today?”

“Yeah, at four o’clock in room 117. Mr. Sander’s room- he’s the club advisor. Really cool dude.”

They took another draw from their coffee. “I’ll think about it.”

“Cool. Yeah. Sounds great,” Roman replied awkwardly. “Bye,” he said, waving as he walked to his next class (economics- required for seniors), which he shared with Patton. It wasn’t far, and he made it in plenty of time before the beginning of the period. Roman made his way to his seat and waited for the other senior. After maybe three minutes, Patton slid into his seat next to Roman.

“You know that new kid, Remy?” Roman asked his boyfriend after he had situated himself.

“Yeah,” Patton said.

“Well, I invited them to come this afternoon. Don’t know whether they will or not, but I figured I’d try to make them feel welcome and stuff.”

“That was nice of you,” his boyfriend stated. “Speaking of this afternoon, do you have an agenda?”

Roman glanced around the class and lowered his voice. “Well,” he started, “I’ve been messaging Mr. Sanders and stuff, and I managed to get something  _ really _ cool organized.”

“Really?”

Roman nodded. “I was planning on having a presentation on LGBT+ representation in pop culture and stuff, and since Mr. Mr. Sanders,” Patton softly giggled at the use of his nickname for their teacher’s husband, “has written queer characters into his books, we got it approved for him to come in as a guest speaker.”

“Oh my gosh,” Patton exclaimed. “That’s so  _ cool _ , Roman!”

Roman smiled a little bit harder to himself. “It is kind of cool, isn’t it?”

“You bet,” Patton added on. “I’m super excited now!” Roman nodded just as the bell that announced the start of class rang. The couple silently took notes as their teacher droned on about supply and demand curves.

Finally, after what felt like forever, the last period of the day was over. Roman didn’t  _ quite _ race to Mr. Sanders’ room, but it was close. (The idea of calling his teacher  _ Logan _ still weirded Roman out, honestly. And the idea of calling one of his favorite authors  _ Virgil _ was almost weirder, so despite the ridiculousness, he stuck with “Mr. Mr. Sanders.”) 

On his way there, he ran into the author himself. “Hey, Mr. Mr. Sanders,” Roman cheerily said to his (former?) teacher’s husband. He snorted at the title. “You can call me Mr. Sanders, if calling me  _ Virgil _ is still too weird for you,” he told Roman.

“But this is more fun.”

The older man rolled his eyes good-naturedly but nonetheless kept pace with Roman on the way to the chemistry teacher’s classroom. “Hey, babe,” the author called out, and Roman had to smother the choked noise that unintentionally escaped his throat.

Mr. Sanders looked up from his laptop. “Virgil,” he replied, and stood to meet his husband. The two of them suddenly paused and stared at Roman, who coughed awkwardly.

“You know what?” He announced. “I’m going to stand outside. And wait for Patton. Yeah, I’m gonna wait for Patton. You two have fun,” Roman directed at the adults, and as he left the room he heard the two exchanging talk about their days. He appreciated how neither of them initiated any public displays of affection while he was still in the room. As he sat on the floor of the hallway, he noticed a familiar figure approach.

“Remy!” Roman exclaimed. “Glad you could join us.”

“...What are you waiting out here for?” The new student inquired.

“Mr. Sanders and Mr. Mr. Sanders are very affectionate.”

A frown appeared on their face. “Wait,  _ Mr. Mr. Sanders? _ ”

Roman snickered. “Yeah, you should’ve been there. Last year, in AP Chem-” and he managed to get through the story of Mr. Sanders’ “coming out” to his students, if one wanted to call it that. Remy giggled a few times as well. By the time he got through the entire thing, almost ten minutes had passed and Roman could see his boyfriend at the end of the science wing hallway.

“Patton!” Roman most definitely  _ didn’t _ shout. “Hey,” he continued in a normal voice.

The other senior approached the two and gave Roman a small peck on the cheek. “Hey yourself,” he whispered. There was dead silence for a solid thirty seconds before Remy cleared their throat. “Right,” Roman continued, clearing his own throat before speaking again. “Patton, Remy. Remy, Patton.”

“Hi!” Patton said enthusiastically, giving the other senior a small wave. “I’m Patton. I’m the vice president, and also Roman’s boyfriend.”

“I kind of got the memo,” the other sarcastically drawled, crossing the jacket covered arms that looked strangely naked without a coffee beverage of some type to hold. Roman pulled his phone out of his pocket to check the time, the picture of him and Patton together that was his lockscreen flashing into view for a second as he looked at the numbers themselves.  _ 3:47. _

“Alright,” Roman said, “time to cut them off. We’ve got to stuff to prepare for the meeting.” Patton openly snorted at his first statement, and Remy attempted to cover theirs. “What?” he asked petulantly as he knocked on the door. “You can’t say I’m wrong.”

Ten or fifteen seconds after his fairly loud knocking, Roman re-entered the classroom and set his backpack down at an empty desk, opening it to pull out the folder with all of his GSA materials in it. “Hi, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Mr. Sanders,” Roman remarked. Patton said his hellos as well.

“Hello, Roman,” Mr. Sanders replied. Roman glanced at the two adults, unsurprised at the scene he found; the two of them subtly holding hands as they sat side-by-side on top of two desks next to each other. “And who are you?” the chemistry teacher asked Remy.

“Oh, uh- Remy.” They walked over to the pair of adults and stuck out their hand to shake. Out of the corner of his eye as he grouped sheets and looked over information from the previous meeting, he saw both halves of the couple return the invitation. 

“You can just chill out for a bit,” Patton said to Remy. Roman’s boyfriend turned to the chemistry teacher. “Mr. Sanders, is it okay if we go get the snacks from office now?”

“That sounds like an excellent idea, Patton,” and with that the two left for the science wing staff room where Patton kept the baked goods he prepared for this week’s meeting during the day. Suddenly, Roman heard a quiet, “Oh,  _ merde. _ ”

The senior turned to face Remy with a curious expression on his face. “I forgot to tell my mom I was coming,” they explained, and quickly pulled out their cell phone and all too soon called, presumably, their mother.    


“ _ Maman? _ ” they began, the French sounding more natural from their lips than any of the English Roman had heard them speak. Which he supposed made sense. 

“ _ Ouais- je sais, je sais, désolée. J’ai oublié. _ ” Roman couldn’t really follow- he was fluent in Spanish, not French- and he gave up when the other senior’s speech truly exemplified the saying ‘rapid fire French.’ Roman went back to his supplies, continuing to organize sheets into piles.

“ _ D'accord, à plus, _ ” Remy stated, and in his peripheral vision Roman saw them end the call and slip their phone back into their pocket. 

“Everything alright?” he asked.

“Yeah, it’s fine, she wasn’t too angry,” Remy replied. “So, you and- Patton, you said?” the other student paused for confirmation, continuing after Roman nodded. “You and Patton started this club on your own.”

“I mean, basically,” the senior remarked, nonchalantly. “Mr. Sanders has been a huge help. We wouldn’t have really gotten off the ground without him.”

They sighed. “It makes me a little sad, I guess, that I never had him. He sounds like a good teacher.”

Roman gave the other a small smile. “Yeah, he is pretty great.” Remy hummed in response and there was a somewhat awkward pause. “So,” Roman interjected, breaking the silence, “has your year been? Starting at a new school a few months in, I mean.”

They shrugged. “Ah, well,” Remy grimaced a little, and Roman just barely heard a grumble of “what is it in English?” before they continued, “so-so, I suppose.”

Before Roman could reply, more footsteps entered the classroom; Patton, returning with the absolutely  _ adorable _ cupcakes he had made the night before, decorated like little jack-o-lanterns, as well as some sugar cookies shaped like pumpkins covered with orange sprinkles. He left the desk he had claimed and approached his boyfriend just as the other set down the baked goods. “They look great, Pat,” Roman said with a smile. Patton smiled back. “Thanks,” he replied. “Thanks for the recipes, by the way.”

He blushed a little, mumbling his thanks before returning to his supplies. Eventually, the rest of the students filtered in a few at a time, some surprised to see the author there- sitting next to Mr. Sanders, both on top of desks,  _ and  _ holding his hand. While the fact that the teacher had a husband was common knowledge to the club, seeing it in real life was something else. Not to mention seeing the normally somewhat stoic teacher be affectionate- and to be quite honest, acting a little bit like a lovestruck teenager- was hard to reconcile.

Still, eventually four o’clock rolled around and the meeting began. Roman and the other officers got important business things out of the way first- dues, mentioning the need for volunteers for the asexuality table that would take place on Friday, to close out asexual awareness week, and other things like that. 

“And now, we have a special guest, as I’m sure you’ve noticed,” he began. “As I mentioned at our last meeting, this week we’re discussing LGBT+ representation in pop culture. And because Mr. Sanders is totally awesome, he managed to convince the  _ other _ Mr. Sanders to come in and talk about his experience as an author who has written LGBT characters into his books, and also if he’s okay with it, answer some questions at the end.” 

Virgil Sanders gave a small wave from his seat on top of a desk and introduced himself. Roman mostly let the author run the meeting, as if it were a panel with only one person. He pretty much just kept track of the time, making sure there was enough time to get through a few different topics. They did end up having enough time to field a few questions that weren’t totally discussion related to finish off. 

Roman closed out the meeting around 5:15, and reminded the members of the sign up sheet for the ace awareness table, and how they needed volunteers to run it for all three lunches. A few signed up immediately- enough that Roman didn’t need to worry about not having enough people- and he resolved to set up a group chat when he got home so that a small meeting could be put together later in the week to go over what needed to be done before Friday. 

_ I really need to put together a binder, or something, for next year, _ the senior thought to himself. 

A few students complimented him on the awesome meeting, and Roman just shrugged off the positive statements but was secretly pleased and appreciative. Once all of the students, excluding Patton- and Remy, for some reason (who had mentioned when they introduced themself to the club that they were genderfluid and used different pronouns on a day-to-day basis but today preferred “they/them”)- Mr. Sanders himself approached him.

“You’ve really done a good job with this, you know.”

“Well, it was really  _ you _ who actually convinced Mr. Mr. Sanders to come in today-” Roman tried to deflect.

“No,” the teacher continued in a somewhat soft tone. “I mean… this club in general. We didn’t really have things like this when I was in high school. You’re really making a difference for some of these kids.”

The senior blushed and mumbled his gratitude before finishing his gathering of the materials that he had gotten out for the meeting. Once he was ready, he, Patton, and Remy all walked out together. 

“You did a good job today,” Patton told him, and Roman sighed. “Everyone keeps saying that. But thanks,” he replied. His boyfriend gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Text you later?” the other senior asked before he left for his own car.

“Yeah, for sure,” Roman replied with a smile and a wave, walking to his own vehicle. Remy left for their car, too, each senior parting ways. And as Roman walked, and eventually sat in the driver’s seat, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride. His teacher’s comment replayed in his mind.

_ You’re really making a difference for some of these kids. _

That hadn’t been his intention, really, when he started this, but he couldn’t deny that it was a good feeling. To already be making a legacy- a legacy of good, and kindness, at eighteen years on earth- he couldn’t help but smile. 

  
iv.

“So,” Virgil began, calling out to his husband who was currently grading papers. “Tomorrow’s Wednesday.”

Logan sighed, but the teacher still had a grin on his face. “Did you have anything in mind? It is your turn, this week.”

“Yes,” he trailed off. “I was thinking about- well, the planetarium does discounts on Wednesday nights, right?” Logan looked at Virgil with a shocked but ecstatic smile on his face. “Have I told you how much I love you today?”

“Probably,” Virgil casually remarked. “But I could stand to hear it again,” the author said with a smirk.

“I love you.”

“I know.”

Logan raised an eyebrow. “Quoting Star Wars, too? What did I do to deserve this?” He was smiling, and Virgil couldn’t help but return a grin to his husband. 

“Maybe I’m dropping a hint or something,” he casually said, moving back to the stove and the stir fry the author was making for dinner. 

“Are you suggesting,” Logan deadpanned, “that we dress up as Star Wars characters for Halloween this year?”

Virgil looked back at him. “Maybe,” he trailed off. “I could see you as Leia.”

“Oh my god,” Logan huffed, but he wasn’t rejecting the idea. “And you would be Han, presumably?”

“Potentially,” Virgil replied, and his husband chuckled. “There’s a thought.” Virgil laughed along with him. Soon enough, their food had finished cooking, and the author prepared their plates as Logan returned his papers to his work bag. The two ate not quite silently, though there was a pause in conversation for a bit. 

Their chatter flowed naturally to a multitude of other topics, and eventually they had finished dinner and the washing up. He and Logan both set up in the living room, each quietly doing some work- his husband grading a few more papers, and Virgil himself continuing to flesh out a troublesome scene in his next manuscript. The two worked probably later than they should’ve, but eventually both retired to their room and got dressed in pajamas. Virgil fell asleep holding his husband close under a collection of blankets.

When he awoke, it was the same as normal- ‘I love you’s exchanged with the teacher before he left for school, Virgil dragging himself out of bed for breakfast and coffee. Virgil padded his way down the steps, his soft footfalls the only sound in the house. He entered the kitchen and tiredly pulled a mug down from the cupboard: one with a skeleton that read “Guess I’ll Die.”

(Logan spent far too many hours of the day with high schoolers; he had laughed at the mug (and the meme) and Virgil couldn’t help but cave and purchase it.)   


He poured a generous amount in, adding just a little almond milk before stirring and sipping the caffeinated beverage. The author stood there for awhile, peacefully enjoying the energizing rush in the middle of his kitchen. After he finished his first cup, Virgil poured a second- a little more almond milk, this time- and threw two halves of a bagel into the toaster. 

When his breakfast was finally ready, Virgil spread a little Crofter’s onto the slices before eating them. He savored the second cup of coffee more than the first, sipping gradually as he ate instead of rushing to finish the drink. Once he was done, he washed his dishes and set them in the drying rack before getting out his laptop. The author occasionally parsed through his notes as he wrote, managing to get some progress done on his current work. 

After a quick lunch break (well, it was more of a snack, to be quite honest) Virgil went to the planetarium’s website and purchased the necessary tickets for tonight. Maybe it wasn’t the  _ best _ date idea for a school night, but Logan had been wanting to visit again for some time now, so Virgil figured they would both live. It wasn’t like the two of them hadn’t pulled late hours before. 

The afternoon passed much faster than the morning had, anticipation flowing throughout Vigil’s entire being. He had dinner ready early, right after his husband arrived at home, and the couple made quick work of it. Logan kept on his school clothes, and Virgil had changed into fancier ones- a floral short sleeved dress shirt and especially nice jeans. The couple set off in the car, Virgil driving the half hour or so (closer to forty-five minutes, really) to the planetarium.

It didn’t take too long to park, and they walked hand in hand to the gate where they would hand over their tickets. Virgil couldn’t help but smile when he heard Logan’s soft gasp as they entered- the ceiling was incredible, and they were only in the lobby. The painted constellations contrasted the dark painted sky, undertones of purple and navy accentuating the whites and occasional other bright colors. Still, the teacher composed himself as they handed their tickets to the worker and were given stubs in return. 

Virgil had maybe splurged a little, selecting some of the better seats in the house. It was definitely worth it, though, seeing his husband’s face throughout the show. Logan seemed enraptured, and he couldn’t help but remember another starry night- though it was outside, not in- when he had proposed. How the wind had ruffled their hair, carrying away their laughter. Logan’s bright smile as he pointed out constellations and planets to Virgil, and how the smile had grown when Virgil dropped down to one knee. The soft but enthusiastic “yes” that had followed. Logan taking Virgil’s hand with the one newly adorned with a simple silver band that would hold the two together for the rest of their lives.

( _ God _ , Virgil couldn’t help but think to himself,  _ I’m such a sap _ .)

Reminiscing out of the way, Virgil refocused his attention on the narrator’s words and the show itself. Although he couldn’t help but reach over to the seat bordering his to take his husband’s hand.

“That was fun,” Logan said as they left the planetarium and returned to their car. It wasn’t too late- 8:16, according to Virgil’s watch- considering they had actually attended two different shows available instead of just one. Totally worth it, though. “Thank you,” his husband continued emphatically.

Virgil gave him a small grin in response. “I had fun.”

Logan rolled his eyes. “We both know you were watching me more than you watched the actual show.”

“Can’t help it that I love seeing your face,” he replied, “and it is, in fact, a lovely face. Especially when you’re excited.” Logan blushed, and only seemed able to respond with a squeeze of his hand and a quick kiss. The couple reached their car, and Virgil- in the spirit of a true gentleman- opened the passenger door for his husband, closing it after Logan had sat down (albeit with a raised eyebrow and a snort). He smiled as he sat down in the driver’s seat, his husband already setting up their favorite playlist to listen to on the drive home. 

Once they got back, neither really felt like doing any actual work. Instead, the two changed into pajamas- Virgil chose a slightly oversized shirt and comfortable fleece pants adorned with purple and black plaid. He snorted upon seeing Logan’s shirt- featuring a chemistry pun, of course- which the teacher had paired with dark blue sweatpants. 

“Your sense of humor is impeccable, as always,” Virgil commented as he walked to his husband, pressing a kiss to Logan’s lips when he reached him. Logan rolled his eyes when they broke away but still smiled affectionately. “I learn from the best,” he shot back.

Virgil outright chuckled at that. “Want to watch a movie?” he countered. “I’ll let you pick.”

“We really shouldn’t.”

“Live a little, Logan,” he said with a smirk. His husband sighed but mumbled his agreement before letting Virgil drag him into the living room. “You pick,” he told him. “I’ll make some popcorn.”

“Alright, alright,” Logan acquiesced, moving towards the shelf that held DVDs as Virgil went into the kitchen and threw a bag of the traditional movie snack into the microwave. Once everything was ready- movie queued and popcorn buttered, grape gatorade housed in wine glasses resting on the coffee table- the two relaxed into each other. They cuddled, which ended with their bodies entangled with one another under a mound of blankets. 

Virgil smiled, and he laughed, and he  _ loved _ . 

  
v.

Logan softly grinned as the child dressed as Wonder Woman approached them. 

“Trick or treat!” the young girl- probably nine or ten- exclaimed.

Virgil took on a thoughtful face, and the teacher played along. “And who might you be?” He asked.

She giggled. “I’m Wonder Woman!” 

“Oh, how silly of me,” Virgil replied. “Here you go,” his husband said, smiling warmly as he handed her a piece of candy. “Happy Halloween,” he wished her, and returned her wave before she turned and skipped back down their sidewalk to her waiting mother. 

Logan and Virgil had camped out on their front porch with their bowl of candy decorated like the Death Star (to match their costumes). Their railing was playing host to cobwebs, sidewalk lined with decorative lights, and carved pumpkins set up near their chairs. The couple had propped up a few skeletons in the yard as well, giving their front yard an overall “spooky” vibe.

They had ended up following Virgil’s not so subtle hint, though Logan did not wear Leia’s iconic dress from Episode IV. Rather, the teacher had opted for an outfit from  _ Empire Strikes Back _ , an all white ensemble complete with the slightly off white vest. His husband had gone for Han’s traditional look; a dark brown vest of his own and pants to match, plus the signature shirt. It was one of their better costumes, to be frank, although Logan knew that in Virgil’s mind it was hard to top the Ruby and Sapphire outfits from last year.

Still, he sighed contentedly during the lull between visitors. The crisp autumn air was not quite silent, but there was a peaceful element to it, he supposed. Logan’s smile suddenly morphed into a pensive frown. “Do you ever think about kids?” he asked his husband with a little hesitance. He wasn’t quite sure if now was the perfect time to bring up the topic, but Logan figured it was as good of a time as ever, so he said it anyways with almost a grim determination.

Virgil turned his head to look at the teacher. “You mean, kids of our own?” he replied with only a little surprise.

“Yes. I just… I don’t know. You’re good with them,” Logan remarked.

The other bit his lip. “I mean, I’m not sure. It’s crossed my mind a few times, I guess.”

“Mine too,” Logan admitted. “There’s no pressure, or anything, but- maybe we should talk about it, at some point?” A corner of Virgil’s mouth quirked upwards in a half smile.

“Yeah,” he said, the word on the edge of an exhale that sounded strangely content. “Someday soon, I think.” 

Logan smiled back at his husband, their loving gazes locked at each other until the couple heard the sound of another young child happily making their way up the sidewalk. 


End file.
